Warm Like a Summer's Evening
by Galadriel1010
Summary: Matteusz doesn't know what to expect from Charlie, but he finds he doesn't mind that at all.


Matteusz still wasn't sure what to expect. Charlie was, without a doubt, very cute, but he was even stranger than he was cute. Not that Matteusz minded that, really. If weird was what it took for him to find the friend, he'd take all the weird he could get. He slid his sunglasses on as he stepped out of the station, looking up at the occasional fluffy white clouds that scooted along above the towering office blocks around him. A light breeze drifted down the street, stirring the early leaf fall in the gutter. And there, on the corner, was Charlie.

He beamed at Matteusz as he approaches, ridiculously oversized sunglasses with diamantes on the arms obscuring his eyes. "Matteusz, you came." He had his hands clasped behind his back, and bounced on the balls of his feet. "I wasn't sure I'd given you enough directions. But then I thought it might just be me. I am quite bad with following directions, especially on the Underground. Actually, I found it quite scary." The flow stopped abruptly and he smiled again. "But you're here."

"I'm here." He's started to get used to Charlie's ramblings, and without the school bell chasing them he's happy to indulge him in it. It's worth it for the extra Lumens in his smile. "And from here, you are leading."

"Of course." Charlie pulled his phone out to check it. "We've got a bit of time, so we can buy some lunch to take along. I didn't know what you'd want, or what was suitable for a first date. I mean, I'm not sure cinema is appropriate either, but I heard someone saying that it was really food, and it was recommended in Time Out, and you didn't say no so it must be okay."

Matteusz fell into step beside him, and was grateful for Charlie's rambling that game him time to process that and for his heart to settle back down after its surprisingly happy little skip. "We decide what's suitable for us. And I think it's very suitable."

Charlie beamed again, now bright enough to challenge Matteusz's sunglasses, and reached for his hand to tug him off to the side. "Down here. I came to check the route and found a little shop…" Matteusz kept hold of his hand as Charlie rattled on, partly to keep pace with him, mostly for the warmth in his stomach at the clasp of Charlie's fingers between his own.

They bought sandwiches and cakes; lots of cakes. Charlie, it seemed, had a very sweet tooth and no restraint, and he insisted on paying for both and upgrading their milkshakes to the biggest size with whipped cream and every type of sprinkles. His eyes shone, and as he collected their food and his drink, and Matteusz sipped his own, he was his strangeness like a favourite T shirt. It suited him far better than the Polo shirt which, Matteusz now realised, he'd worn specially, whilst Matteusz had dressed for the weather in a plain white vest.

Charlie's hands were both full, and Matteusz's would be if he took something off him, so he followed along close behind again, weaving through the crowds until they popped out into the bright sunshine at the edge of the park. People drifted past, enjoying what the locals referred to as the Indian Summer sun, and Charlie trotted across the road, looking back over his shoulder to check that Matteusz was following before he headed into the park, towards the crowds settled on the grass around the big screen.

He set their food down on the grass and sat down himself, falling in an ungainly heap, with Matteusz close behind them. His lips curled into a smile when Matteusz, emboldened by Charlie's confidence, places his hand over Charlie's and laced their fingers together.

"Thank you," he said softly, determined not to look around them, as much as he wanted to. "I'm already having a good time."

"The film hasn't even started yet."

"Being with you is fun, though." Being with Charlie was easy, too. He spoke his mind, and so Matteusz could too. "I am glad you asked me. Even if I didn't realise what you were asking."

"You didn't? Is it okay?"

He smiled. "Is okay. I thought you were very complicated, but you are really very simple. In a good way. You say what you mean, and that confuses people."

Charlie looked baffled, but he was distracted by the blare of the fanfare from the speeches all around them, and his head whipped around towards the screen, a startled expression of panic and then what looked like guilt seeming to confirm Matteusz's belief that Charlie had seen more than anyone would consider fair. Whilst the credits started, Matteusz wondered about witness protection and victim anonymity, and whilst the music rolled over them he couldn't take his eyes off the excited grin that had lit up Charlie's face, or stop making himself promises he didn't know if he could keep.

By the time the film ended, Matteusz had his arm comfortably around Charlie's waist, and Charlie's head on his shoulder and hand in his free one. Charlie had been utterly entranced, and beautiful, and now he was warm and comfortable and soft and beautiful. Matteusz had a momentary wish, a ridiculous one, except it wasn't momentary at all. He wanted Charlie in his arms a lot more. All the time. And with fewer clothes. If he lingered on that image too long, this could get awkward, so he eased Charlie up gently and made a show of stretching his back out, flattered by the startled expression on Charlie's face and the way his eyes skimmed across Matteusz's chest and arms.

"Do... Do you have any plans?" he asked. "For this evening, I mean?"

Charlie shook his head and, eventually, dragged his eyes off Matteusz's chest. "No. I could make them, though. If you had any ideas."

Matteusz got to his feet, brushed grass off his jeans, and offered Charlie his hand. When he pulled Charlie up they were an inch apart, hands clasped. So Matteusz didn't let go, and he leaned in, slowly and carefully, and brushed their lips together. Charlie made a startled, breathy little noise, eyes wide, and raised a trembling hand to his lips.

"Was that okay?" Matteusz asked.

"Yes."

He waited, but it seemed that he'd stopped the tumbling river of words. Smiling again, he slid his free hand around Charlie's waist, and Charlie's hand rested on his chest. He ducked his head and caught Charlie's growing smile in a deeper kiss, warm and soft as the evening sun.


End file.
